Winhawk boys struggle to gain ground

(1/17/2018)

by BEN MCLEOD

After a solid 71-32 win against the Albert Lea Tigers on Friday, January 5, the Winona Winhawk boys basketball team fell to the Northfield Raiders on Tuesday, January 9. This “one step forward, one step back” week has brought the ‘Hawks up in the Big Nine standings, but they remain stuck in the middle for the conference.

Winona started strong against Albert Lea and rode into the second with a 27-point lead. They held those Tigers but Albert Lea has had zero wins this season, so the victory wasn’t the triumph Winona needed. Versus Northfield, the ‘Hawks couldn’t put a stop to the Raiders’ capable offense, and by the end of the first they trailed by 15. They crept closer in the second, landing 28 points to the Raiders’ 30, but in the end, Northfield walked away with the night.

Junior Brad Winter (#15) led the Winhawks with 13 points total against Northfield, still the team’s top scorer but down from 18 versus Albert Lea. Sophomore Jackson Nibbelink (#21) improved his shooting from last week. Sophomore Aaron Witt (#11) might not stand out on paper, but he played a noticeably physical game, throwing himself into the fray in the paint and putting in intense milage on the court. Winter and Nibbelink cooperated on one assist, but for the majority of the game, the Northfield offense kept the ‘Hawks splintered and off-balance.

The Winhawks lost to basement-dwelling Rochester Century on Friday, January 12.